Happy Thanksgiving TSPTalk!

[MrBowl]

Thanks. I wish the same to everyone as well.

 

[Scout333]

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! I am very thankful for all the blessings God has provided this year!

 

[PLANO]

I hope everyone at TSP Talk has a wonderful Thanksgiving today with family and friends. For those serving far away and you cannot be with your family and friends today, may God keep you and protect you and bring you home soon. Thank you for serving others.




I always enjoy reading the history behind the holidays we celebrate in America. The Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving celebration in our nation in 1621, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was actually 3-days of feasting and celebrating, thanking God for preserving them through many hardships and loss of life during their first year in the New World. George Washington later created the first official national holiday of Thanksgiving in 1789, after Congress requested that he set aside a national day of Thanksgiving to God.




Here is George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation:

By the President of the United States of America: a Proclamation.




Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor–and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me `to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.




Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be–That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation–for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted–for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.




And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions–to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually–to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed–to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us–and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.




Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.




George Washington

Another Thanksgiving proclamation I enjoy reading if from Abraham Lincoln:

October 3, 1863




The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.




It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.




In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.




Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.




Abraham Lincoln

Noted that the Thanksgiving holiday today is of a much different focus, primarily wrapped around food, football and anticipation of shopping bargains. I enjoy all of those too, but as a Christian I find the most joy in remembering the true intention, the true meaning of today for our nation. God bless you all and have a great celebration today!